I routinely disparage synthetic brushes. I’ve written about this topic several times on this blog. My collection of synthetics quickly resembles the brushes in this photo—mishapen hulks with limited usefulness.
My opinion began to change several years ago when I used some synthetics that stood up to the beating from oil painting. I’ve steadily used those Princeton Monarch brushes, and they continue to perform well, maintaining their shape. I recently bought a dozen more, as you can see.
These brushes are not inexpensive, but they are also not expensive for their category. The size 10 filbert shown above is $24. For comparison, Princeton’s size 10 bristle is about $15, but their size 10 sable is $35.
The Princeton Monarchs are a pleasure to use. I recommend them for oil painters.
